Literature Help: The Boy In the Striped Pajamas

By Students' Academy

It is a highly successful novel, admired by both critics and readers. Around seven million copies are said to have been sold up to this day around the world.

Bruno, the central character of the novel, becomes a victim by the end of the novel, whereas his family was the participant in the horror and atrocities of the Holocaust.

Literature Help: The Boy In the Striped Pajamas
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310521119

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Literature Help: The Boy In the Striped Pajamas

Students' Academy

Copyright

Literature Help: The Boy In the Striped Pajamas

Students' Academy

Copyright@2014 Students' Academy

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Boy In the Striped Pajamas by Irish novelist John Boyne was first published in 2006.

The story is presented from the point of view of a young boy. According to the author, he had completed the first draft of the novel in just two and a half days. He said that he did not go to sleep until he reached the end of the first draft.

It is a highly successful novel, admired by both critics and readers. Around seven million copies are said to have been sold up to this day around the world.

In some editions which were published in other countries there is pyjamas instead of pajamas in the title.

The American edition of the book has traditional spelling of the word.

According to the author The Boy In the Striped Pajamas is a fable. He refutes the speculations which categorize it as a Holocaust novel.

According to the author, it is an allegory. The story is a timeless representation of atrocities and the people who take part in or become the victims of those atrocities.

Through this novel, the author seems to be trying to look for the answer to a question whether the perpetrators of such horrors as the Holocaust might rethink their behavior if they were themselves become victims of atrocities. The same happens to Bruno’s father in the story.

Bruno, the central character of the novel, becomes a victim by the end of the novel, whereas his family was the participant in the horror and atrocities of the Holocaust.

Since the author was born, in war-torn Ireland, he says that he feels a very personal connection to the story of this novel. It is obvious through several incidents in the story that the story is inspired by the author’s personal experiences and the experiences of the people known to him, who had gone through that period of war and atrocities.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

It is the time of the Second World War. A nine-year old boy named Bruno lives in a big house with his parents. Gretel is his twelve-year old sister. There are some servants in the house. One of the servants is called Maria.

Bruno’s father is a high-ranking SS officer. Once, Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun visit the area and as a result Bruno’s father is promoted to the Commandant of Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

Bruno calls Auschwitz ‘Out-With’ and